A Noble Cause
by stubadingdong
Summary: Trip and T'Pol discuss the feature on Movie Night


TITLE: A Noble Cause  
  
AUTHOR: stub, with a beta from Joe  
  
DATE: 12-23-02  
  
RATING: PG  
  
SUMMARY: T'Pol mulls over a movie, with help from Trip. Inspired by The Catwalk.  
  
DISCLAIMER: *sigh* Not mine, dammit.  
  
NOTES: My Muse wouldn't let me go to bed until this was out. I'm assuming people are familiar with The Princess Bride. If not, oh well. It's one of the greatest movies ever. Happy Chrimmas and stuff! This is just a fluffy treat to get me through the holidays.  
  
***  
  
The lights came up and Trip turned to T'Pol. "Well?" asked Commander Tucker. "How'd you like it?"  
  
T'Pol didn't answer right away. She was contemplating the movie they had just seen. Although it was highly illogical, it was nevertheless entertaining. She told him as much.  
  
"It held my interest. Though I do not understand why they separated to begin with."  
  
"Because he had to leave and she had to let him go," Trip said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because of true love."  
  
At this, T'Pol cocked her head.  
  
"C'mon, I'll walk ya back to your quarters and try and explain the greatest mystery of all," Trip replied with a smile. He stood from his chair and stretched.  
  
"Why did Buttercup agree to marry a man she did not love?" T'Pol asked. She did not understand this part of the movie. Humans did irrational things because of their unbridled emotions.  
  
"She thought Wesley was dead," Trip answered.  
  
"But it was clear that she still loved him."  
  
"Yeah, but she thought he was dead. How're you gonna marry someone who's dead?"  
  
"He specifically told her never to give up on him, did he not?" T'Pol waited.  
  
"Well...yeah," Trip sighed.  
  
"She did not listen to him."  
  
"She thought he was dead, T'Pol!"  
  
"But he wasn't."  
  
"Well I guess she learned her lesson, then," Trip said a little too quickly. "So to speak," he added.  
  
T'Pol looked at Trip for a moment and then continued her line of questioning. "Why were the others so willing to help Wesley? They didn't know him. Or her, for that matter," T'Pol replied.  
  
Trip turned his head and stared at her. "You're jus' full of questions, aren't you?" He chuckled to himself. "They helped because there's no nobler cause in the universe than True Love."  
  
T'Pol did not respond to this. They walked in silence the remainder of the way to her quarters.  
  
"Well, thanks for comin' to movie night," Trip said casually when they reached her door.  
  
"Commander," said T'Pol. "I have one more question."  
  
His eyebrows shot up expectantly and he waited. Trip watched as she gathered herself.  
  
"Wesley and Buttercup did not even speak to each other in the beginning of the film. How did they know they were in love?"  
  
Trip wasn't sure how to answer that. It wasn't what he was expecting. Then again, he wasn't always sure what to expect from T'Pol. He absently scratched at the back of his head.  
  
"Well, sometimes you just *know*," he finally said with a shrug. "Sometimes words aren't necessary."  
  
A puzzled look clouded her features as T'Pol keyed her door open. She stepped into her quarters. Trip stood at the door, leaning against the frame. She turned and looked at him. He wore a crooked smile, his arms folded across his chest. They studied each other for a moment.  
  
Inclining her chin, T'Pol quietly asked, "How?" She put a hand on the doorframe.  
  
Trip leaned forward into her doorway. "Different ways. Sometimes you know by lookin' into the other's eyes. Eyes are the windows to the soul, y'know. Sometimes that's all it takes to see the attraction an' passion an' confusion an' embarrassment an' everything else," he said softly.  
  
Their gazes locked.  
  
"Sometimes just bein' near that person is all it takes to know you want nothin' more than to spend every spare minute with them," Trip said. He took a step into her quarters. She did not move.  
  
"Sometimes an accidental touch, skin to skin, is all it takes," Trip continued. He braced a hand against the doorframe next to her hand, a finger sneaking out to stroke her knuckles. "You can feel some kinda...electricity sparkin' with that touch. Sends a chill down your spine, makes you wanna touch that person even more."  
  
T'Pol swallowed. She was paying very close attention to the Commander's words. His eyes were shining in her dark quarters. She couldn't look away.  
  
"Sometimes an embrace will do the trick. When your body fits together with hers. Like a perfect match," Trip said lowly. His voice was just above a whisper. He took another step closer. "But a kiss lets two people know for sure. A lot can be said with just a kiss."  
  
They stood toe to toe, gazing at each other. Trip reached up a hand, fingertips gently grazing her jaw. He leaned forward. T'Pol closed her eyes.  
  
Conversation from the corridor drifted into her quarters from the still open door. It seemed to snap them from their trance. Trip dropped his hand, stepped back and looked down at his boots. He cleared his throat nervously and glanced back up at her.  
  
"Um, I should go," he muttered. "Got an early shift tomorrow."  
  
T'Pol nodded and walked slowly to her desk, keeping her back to him. "I'll see you at breakfast, Commander."  
  
"As you wish," he said quietly and was out the door before T'Pol could turn around.  
  
THE END 


End file.
